Tu Me Manques
by Little.Miss.Miracles
Summary: We both sat there staring at each other, in awe at what we'd just felt for the past minute. "Do you think we should"-"Do that again?" I finished for her. Before she could finish nodding I'd already pulled her back with my hands behind her neck to guide her. And for those next few minutes when she was all mine and I was all hers, I was certain I'd never need another girl again.
1. Chapter 1

"You have bewitched me, body & soul." - Mr. Darcy (Pride & Prejudice)

* * *

I marched down the hall between the two Capitol guards sent by President Snow. That's how I knew this was the end for me. I hadn't given the puppetmaster what he wanted so I had to be cut off. Like one of the dead blossoms out of his garden. I was a lost purpose and a waste of nutrients so I had to be snipped off from the body.

I was led to a room shut off by double-doors which were quickly opened for me and then closed directly behind me. After scanning the room I checked to see if they were locked.. Just in case this wasn't happening. But it was. I thought President Snow might step out from behind the pillars at the sides of the room but there was not a single movement or sound.

I was alone.

There was a table in the center with an elegant crystal bowl, which held something of a dark color. The closer I got, the more I thought of the possibilities but when I saw the berries sitting there staring back at me it made perfect sense.

Saving an extra tributes life meant sacrificing my own life.

It was ironic that he thought this would be the cure for himself. His cold control would never let him see the truth behind his anger. This end he was putting to me was not due to the mistreating of the previous Hunger Game results. No, it started long before that.

It started with a girl. A young, beautiful girl who stole his heart the second he held her in his arms. She was the only girl in his life since the day her mother passed during labor. 18 years later, she stole my heart as well.

Anastasia's face flooded my mind when I stared down at the nightlock. Her laugh rang in my ears like music. And her smile…. I grasped my chest where my heart thumped underneath. What Snow didn't realize is he was better off taking the nightlock himself. He could see her again that way, but instead, I would. I could be in the presence of her as soon as I was ready.

But I wanted to just think before I acted. So I thought about the one thing that I could. Which was her. And the first evening that I met her…

* * *

I was 22 years old when I arrived at my first interview at the Snow Mansion. After a long, grueling discussion with President Snow on the ethics and dynamics of the Capitol industry and Hunger Games tactics, he commanded one of the servants to give me a private tour of the estate. The tall, grand hallways were limitless. Every room, each of which being five minutes apart, were the size of my entire home and perfectly decorated with clean, freshly painted walls.

I was impressed to say the least, every time we turned a corner. The best part was the library, which towered above us at three stories with a dome stained-glass window ceiling letting just a few rays of light through.

Mrs Borges, the maid showing me around the place was looking back at me saying something while I studied the millions of books around me.

"I'm sorry what was that?"

She chuckled at me and waved her hand over her shoulder to continue the tour.

"Let me show you the garden, my boy. Just wait until you see this."

She lead the way down yet another extravagant hallway which ended with a set of crystal double doors, letting dancing, colorful rays of sunlight tease us on the inside of them.

"Wow." I thought softly out loud.

Another smirk came from the maid as she grabbed the gold handles and pulled them downwards, releasing the doors from the jam so that they slowly slid open.

My eyes were blinded by the piercing amount of sunshine that I had been away from for so long, but when the white glaze fell away from my sight, I could see more and more of the green mazes and pillars ahead of me. Some patches were colorful while others were just different shades of emerald and mint. There was a fountain just before the staircase that descended into the beautiful oasis.

"What do you think, Mr. Crane?"

I had drifted off, ahead of Mrs. Borges and was just taking the sight and smell and feeling in when she spoke again.

"It's…superb. I've never seen anything like it." I closed my eyes and a breeze swept over us and the most hypnotic fragrance consumed my senses. "And that perfume….where is it coming from?"

"Mrs. Borges you are needed in the kitchen!"

A voice from within the mansion called for her and she huffed in annoyance.

"It's President Snow's rose garden… You _must_ go see it…. Excuse me Sir, the chefs need babysitting."

I nodded absently and glided towards the stairs so that I could follow the scent of heaven as it strengthened. The trail guided me across the perfectly manicured grass pathways and through the arches of wisteria and morning glories and ivy. There was a stream that came along the path and followed me until I could actually see the rows of yellow roses. I approached it eagerly, dying to smell the sweetness the closest I possibly could. I held a large blossom up to my nose, closed my eyes and took a long, deep breath in, only to be disappointed by a bland, plain smell of the earth and water, which would normally be most pleasant but at a time like this it was mediocre. My eyes went wild, searching around me for whatever else the source could possibly be until I heard a soft, rich humming. A woman's high voice rang in my ears like music, just as sweet as the scent I was experiencing, and now I had that much more to draw me nearer. I came closer to the wall of yellow roses that had disappointed me and peeked through a hole where no leaves or branches could block my vision. My peep hole only allowed me to see two tiny bare feet which were standing, on tip toes, on the second ladder rung. My heart pounded as her long, slender calves led my eyes to the trim of a pastel colored dress just above my siren's knees. It couldn't be a maid, pruning roses in fine attire by herself. I looked down and frowned at my feet, debating on what my next action should be. My mouth still watered for the scent and now my head spun the more I heard the delicate tunes along with the whistling birds and trickling stream. They all created an eccentric effect on me, forcing me to creep along the yellow rose wall to the end of it where I could sneak a view of this goddess.

Four feet from the corner…Three feet…I grab a hold of the end of the row of roses, clasping a blossom between my fingers as I pivoted smoothly on my left foot. My hungry eyes wandered.

Then there she was. There was her glowing silhouette, reaching up to snip down old buds and harvest the perfect ones that she placed in her basket. My feet did whatever my heart told them to then, which was to take one step closer to her the soonest I could. The closer I was to her the more I could see through the glowing light and see her curled, brunette locks and perfectly bronzed skin. She wore an apron on her nearly nonexistent waist and gloves on her equally tiny hands. She could have been Aphrodite for all I knew. I would not have doubted it. Or maybe a faerie. No, non-existent. An angel… Yes, certainly an angel. My personal angel, sent down here to steal my breath away with her voice and who knew what if I got any closer.

Centripetal force brought me just a few feet from her while I was lost in my thoughts. I also forgot to breathe and to stop staring when I was caught dead in my tracks.

Instead of glaring and wondering why there was a strange man stalking her in a garden, she flashed one of the sweetest, most welcoming smiles I was ever prepared to see. My arrival seemed anticipated to her.

All I could do was smile back.

"Hello."

Her voice sang again, but this time it was directed at me which felt like a ton of bricks.

"Can I help you?"

My brain had to kick back in before I answered so I just made a motion towards the roses she was standing next to.

"Oh I was just trying to find where this delicious scent was coming from?"

I managed to not trip on the twigs that twisted in my feet but she noticed the fumbling anyways and giggled at me a bit, which was heavenly just in itself. She batted her lovely lashes at me timidly and looked back at the roses, snipping one off softly, as if you could separate a limb from a plant without making it miss it's young fruit.

"Firefighter." She held it out for me, and I stepped my final length closer, finally able to lock gazes with her. Did she want me to take it?

I reached out and retrieved the rose, brushing her hand ever-so-softly. Her cheeks blushed as our skin touched. She watched me patiently as I raised the rose to my nose to breathe in the sweet, sweet aroma. And that was the one that had lead me there. Straight to her.

"Is it as pleasant still?"

I smiled and rolled the flower between my fingertips.

"It's exquisite."

"Thank you." She said bowing her head a small bit and returning her attention to the flourishing plant. "They're nearly twenty years old. My mother planted them when she was pregnant with me."

I licked my lips and extended my hand out, which she accepted gratefully to help her down from her ladder.

"Your mother is quite the gardener."

She looked back up at me after she had slid off her gloves and untied her apron from around her neck and waist.

"Was. She was."

My throat tied up then, 'Good job Seneca' but I had to carry on the conversation.

"I'm very sorry."

"No worries." She nearly whispered as she had already turned away and begun to fold up the ladder. I rushed to her side and grabbed it from her before she could begin to carry it herself.

"Oh no it's alright. You're clean you have a nice suit on."

I smirked and glanced down over her.

"And you have delicate hands and a dress on."

"Don't worry, Sir. I can get it myself. Thank you anyhow." She calmly laughed our disagreement off and tried to get away with it but I placed my hand on her wrist softly as to dismiss it from the work.

I waited for her eyes to lift up to lock with mine until I responded.

"Seneca." I corrected politely.

She almost seemed taken aback when I said my name. Her face radiated in a pink shade and her expression fell.

"Oh….you're the interviewee for the"-"Yes. I am." I won the ladder over, since she had suddenly become distracted with my identity and was not so focused on our argument.

"And you are?" I proposed, slipping my hand from her wrist to her hand.

"I am Anastasia Snow."

Although my heart sunk with the sound of her name echoing within me, I smiled weakly and bowed down, lifting her hand up gently so that my lips could meet with her soft, perfumed skin.

"It's enchanting to meet you, Miss Snow."

Anastasia returned the smile to me, biting her lip as it fell during our intimate eye contact.

Her mouth parted as if she were to speak to me again and I listened intently but our enticing conversation was cut much too short when a third party came from the corner where I had just been moments ago.

"I see you've found the roses Mr Crane."

President Snow's powerful voice shook us both out of our daze, forcing me to drop her hand and face him.

"Y-yes I did. They are delightful."

He agreed with a nod and sigh, holding both hands behind his back and strolling towards us.

I didn't have the guts to look over at Anastasia to see what her expression was but I knew I was fighting every impulse to look like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"And you've found my daughter Anastasia as well."

As he passed between us, our eyes locked again, sending little signals through the air. As if we had secrets together even though we had just met.

"Fortunately I have." I replied without taking my eyes away from hers, even after she blushed again and looked down at her feet modestly.

I did feel fortunate for finding her. I FOUND her when I did not even know I was searching for her.

"You must have good luck. It is rare if even I can find her out here."

Finally my eyes found their way back to Snow who was just now turning back around to face us. "Rayna. Take the ladder from Mr Crane."

I twisted around to see someone come from the opposite way I had come to the roses. He must've been there the whole time. Anastasia and I weren't as alone as it had seemed.

The worker marched towards me and grabbed the ladder without hesitation, leaving my hands to unoccupied for comfort.

"I'm sorry if this seems greedy of me but I have just been deprived of time with my precious daughter lately. I must steal her from you."

I smiled even though my stomach turned and shook my head.

"Not at all Mr Snow. I'll leave you two be."

"Thank you. I'll be seeing you."

We shook hands, and as I turned away, Anastasia's gaze caught my eye. We both smirked and she was the first to speak, since I would have never chosen to say goodbye if I could help it.

"It was good to meet you Seneca."

I wanted to close my eyes and savor the sound of the angelic voice that had drawn me here in the first place, say my name with such care and articulation. Instead I kept composure and tried to save myself from exposing everything I was thinking through my eyes.

"It's been my pleasure Miss Snow."

With that I walked away, back to where I had started but I felt four eyes silently speculating every step I took until I was out of sight.


	2. Chapter 2

"…if I have not spoken, it is because I am afraid I will awaken myself from this dream."

* * *

I was informed of my acceptance as gamekeeper rather quickly after that meeting. Normally I would be satisfied with that but now I couldn't possibly be when I had so much more to hope for.

There were weekly meetings and luncheons at President Snow's mansion. I went to four weeks' worth of them and although I enjoyed mingling with familiar faces and establishing a place in my new career's crowd, I went to each event with a secret hope and motive. And those hopes were completely crushed each time that I left without getting what I wanted. I could understand then what Snow meant by never being able to find her.

It was the fifth luncheon on this day and rather than being inside, tables were set out on the patio that overlooked the gardens. Every now and then, during conversation I would catch a whiff of the same aroma that drove me wild the last time I was there, and entirely lose track of my conversation. But every now and then added up quickly and between the distraction and the drinks I found myself needing a escape. I finally found the opportunity in between conversations to excuse myself, with no intention of really disappearing anywhere.

I walked through the open crystals double doors and onto the marble floor, staring down at my tux and yanking on my collar to try and get air flow from somewhere when, before I could glance back up to see where exactly I was going, my whole body had collided with a silver platter. I expected to see food allover myself when I lifted my arms out to my sides and the tray fell, but instead there were giant globs of some kind of paint all the way up to my neck of every color. I took a deep breath in and closed my eyes in irritation.

"Oh. My. God. I am so sorry!"

My eyes shot back open when I heard a familiar, delicate voice.

Anastasia's face was completely bright red. I could see that she was on the edge of tears and had no idea what to do so she just picked up her platter and paint brushes that had scattered on the ground. If I wasn't so surprised I might have helped her but I was absolutely speechless that I had finally ran into her. Literally.

"Don't worry about it so much. They sent me like five of these things anyways."

"Oh I know." She buried her face in her hand and shook her head. "But you still have to go back outside."

I shrugged and relaxed my arms back at my sides.

"Yeah it's just alittle bit of paint I'll go wash it off."

Anastasia bit her lip and sighed, rolling her eyes in humiliation.

"You can't."

I watched her look at the ground and kick the ground with the toe of her heel.

"Wh-What do you mean?"

She looked back up resentfully, throw her hand out in front of her and let it wave up and down, directing the attention at my rainbow decorated tux.

"Its oil paint…I have to get it out with turpentine."

Before I could respond she had grabbed my hand and pulled me in her desired direction which was down the hallways, all the way to the foyer and up the grand staircase. I hand not been to the upper floor so I had no idea where we were going. Maybe to the bathroom. Her bedroom possibly?

I blushed at my own thoughts and tried to distract myself with other conversation.

"Um- how long is this going to take exactly?"

My heart stopped when she looked back at me then. We were passing a wall of ceiling height windows and the sun illuminated the lining of her body and face. She looked so much like an angel again. Like she did in the roses. If I was not completely drawn into the moment I would have looked for a halo.

"Don't worry I won't burden you too long. Not that I haven't already."

I shook my head and opened my mouth to object but we arrive at a sunroom at the end of the hall and she had pulled me through in a rush and shoved me down onto a chair in the corner.

I looked around the room, at all of the paintings that were stacked against each other beside me and reached my hand out to flip through them.

"So…you are quite the artist then. These are incredible."

She fumbled around with a jar of golden liquid and cloth and blushed in her usual, innocent way.

"I try. They don't always turn out how I intend but I enjoy it anyways. Lean back please."

I did as she told me and watched her scrape the large chunks of blue and white and green off with her palette knife and throw them aside.

"Such a waste of paint." She muttered sadly, sighing in grief.

"I'm sorry Anastasia. I didn't mean to put it to bad use."

She grinned and rolled her eyes.

"If I wasn't so clumsy and horrible at multitasking we wouldn't have an issue."

The liquid was like oil itself and I hesitated when she wiped it onto the color but as she worked it into the black threads of my tux jacket the color diluted more and more, disappearing with every movement.

"Congratulations on the job Mr Crane. It's quite an accomplishment. You seem to fit in well."

Her lack of enthusiasm made me chuckle and question her meaning

"I'm confused. It's a good thing I do fit in so well isn't it?"

"Sure. I mean, that's what your objective was, wasn't it."

She bit her lip and turned her nose up a bit. Clearly unenthused.

"Yes of course it was. You act as if it's a negative objective."

I watched her face expression carefully as her eyebrows lifted.

"That's because the Capitol's objective is negative. And that's just what you're saying yours is."

I threw my head back and laughed at her.

"So this is why President Snow hides his daughter!" She withdrew her hands from me and her face fell into a depressing frown.

"Excuse me?"

"Well who would put their opposing daughter on display? Unless I am getting the wrong message. But what I am hearing is resentment."

Anastasia rolled her eyes and returned to working the stains out of my vest.

"What a kind observation you've made."

I bit my lip to stop smiling and stared up at her again.

Usually I would be strongly offended by an opinion shared like that. Especially from a lady. But she had no dimming effect on me. She only interested me more and more.

"So I get it. I guess you've already made up your mind about me then."

Her eyes finally broke away from my lifeless garments and shot up to my gaze. She looked speechless and lost for a moment. Like something shameful had offended her.

But in the blink of an eye, she recovered and continued.

"If you enjoy enhancing tactics of the sacrificial ceremony of human beings then yes. I'm afraid I have."

I smirked more while she wasn't looking and couldn't stop thinking to myself about how refreshing a new conversation was.

"I'm sorry. I hate being a letdown to a pretty girl."

Blushing cheeks again, her expression turned snappy like she might make another smartass comment.

"Well. Don't you worry Mr. Crane. You will have plenty of pleasant females who more than approve of your lifestyle."

My throat tightened when I heard the jealousy in her voice and felt it in her tenser strokes on my clothing.

"Seneca. It's Seneca." Her eyes met with mine again and we exchanged weak smiles.

"You will stop correcting me when your new title sinks in. Just wait."

She finished the last splotch and set down the jar of turpentine.

"You have no faith in me. That's ok I will change your mind. Just wait."

Her giggle was tiny and shy again, just like when I tripped in the rose branches when we met. I craved that sound. That's what I'd been longing to hear the entire time her presence was missing from me.

"What's it to you whether I change my mind or not?"

I stood up and towered over her again, staring down at her batting eyelashes.

"What's it to you if I change my attitude or not?"

Another set of rosy blushing cheeks.

"You can't answer a question with a question."

I bit my lip and smirked when my next response came to me. I kept myself from saying "I can do what I want I'm gamekeeper now." but she could see I was holding it back.

"Cat got your tongue?"

I released my lip and shook my head submissively.

"No. I just…feel bad for making you blush so much."

She gasped and turned away quickly, facing the painting table and windows so that I couldn't see her face.

"It's not you I always do this."

After I had obtained all the satisfaction from her response I touched her shoulder softly, turning her back to face me.

She covered her face with her hands shamefully, not once looking up to me.

"It's ok. I would blush if I'd just smacked the gamekeeper with a tray of paint, as well."

She giggled and let her hands down slowly, letting her eyes lock with mine again.

"You should go back. They're probably wondering where you are."

I stared back into her doe eyes before what she said had sunken in. I didn't want to go back. I wanted to stand there and talk to her, watch her blush and hear her giggle for the rest of the day.

Instead I just sighed and nodded in agreement.

"Thank you Anastasia."

She gasped alittle and pulled me downward suddenly, grabbing the turpentine cloth again but when she reached out to apparently wipe off another spot, she paused and bit her lip hesitantly.

And then she slipped her soft, cool hand around my collar, brushing the skin on my neck and collarbone ever-so-gently. She seemed to take her time with this spot but I couldn't complain. I loved the way her skin felt. When she pulled away I might've been the one with pink cheeks this time.

"Ok you're good." She nearly whispered with a smile.

I smiled back and stepped away from her.

"Walk with me?"

She did as I asked and we started down the hall and staircase, and across the marbled foyer together.

She stopped just where we had collided earlier so I turned to face her.

"Well I'm sorry about my paint attack Mr. Crane. And for burdening you with my rebellious opinions on the Hunger Games."

"Seneca…And it was refreshing. Thank you for the escape, Anastasia."

Another blush and she cleared her throat.

"Stasia."

We both bit our lips nervously and fidgeting with our hands until I finally chose to close.

"I hope to run into you again."

She giggled when she caught my humor twisted away on her heel.

"As do I."

She continued to walk away , leaving echoes through the high ceilings and I watched every little footstep.

Finally I had gotten exactly what I'd hoped to from my afternoon. I figured I should take it in since it was such a rare occasion that I would see her now.

"There he is."

I jumped at the sound of a crowd behind me and spun around to face them. President Snow and the whole gang stood in a mass in front of the French doors but he was the only one who stared in my direction, like a Hawk staring at his prey. He'd obviously seen the entire conversation between his daughter and I. But had he seen us come down the stairs together? What was his impression of me now?

I swallowed hard, straightened my jacket out, and approached them again, in the opposite direction that it felt my heart was going in.


	3. Chapter 3

Why is it that only two readers have continued reading the second chapter?! I'd really appreciate some feedback from whoever reads Have you enjoyed the story? If not, what recommendations do you have? If you like it, tell me what your favorite parts are and what you'd like to see more of I'm probably just having a conversation with my word processor and nobody else but I thought I would at least try to involve the couple of readers I have haha. Thank you for hangin with me. Share the story. Favorite it. Follow it. Review it. You're only three little clicks away. Enjoy this chapter. Au revoir!

* * *

"You were disgusted with the women who were always speaking and looking, and thinking for your approbation alone. I roused, and interested you, because I was so unlike them."

* * *

"You need to do something Seneca…Something more." President Snow mumbled, judging each thread on my body and each placement of each hair on my head, as if my firecracker red and black tux was not bright enough.

I chuckled and looked around clueless.

"I'm not sure what you're referring too, Mr. Snow. I'm only doing exactly what I'm supposed to."

He nodded and rose from the office chair, adjusting his coat snugly.

"I want you to do something better with your style. Seneca. You need to do something flashy and provocative. I don't know what but figure it out… I need to leave now. Get familiar with this room. It will be your home soon."

I tried to keep a pleasant expression on my face while he exited the room slowly, scanning each and every detail around him, searching for I don't know what. Perhaps a crumb or something else to micromanage.

I turned away from the direction of the door he was exiting through and closed my eyes, holding a deep breath in until I heard the heavy metal collide shut.

I let my eyes open and stared down at the floor, at the tips of my immaculate, shining shoes which weren't flashy or provocative enough for Snow's taste. I stayed that way and thought of all the ways I could obtain these qualities he ordered of me….Two minutes….Three minutes…Four minutes….Five minutes later I remained, stroking my chin where a rough five o'clock shadow had grown in.

And then I gave up.

I lacked any creativity it was going to take to achieve my latest assignment so I turned around to face what I had to look forward to. The control center was the network of the Hunger Games and it was officially the one and only thing I could manipulate with the twitch of my pinky. Soon enough the dead silence would be filled with the busy monitoring that determined which tributes were demolished and which would escape the wrath of my arena.

I smirked at the thought but as soon as I entertained it I was reminded of my conversation with Anastasia. And as soon as I thought of her…..

I huffed and threw myself back into the unoccupied office chair like a pouting little kid. I wanted a solution. I wanted flashiness. I wanted something provocative about me to just appear. And most of all I just wanted HER. And I wanted it all then.

I groaned and leaned forward, rubbing my temples with one hand and cursing myself for the lack of ambition I suddenly had.

I forced myself up to my feet then, down the hall and out the doors, straight to the closest place there was to get food so that I wouldn't waste away from self-inflicted stress. While I waited for my order at a bar & café I was approached by a young woman who made herself comfortable right in front of me at my table.

"You must be Seneca Crane. I've heard all about the new gamemaker but I didn't know he was so….sexy."

I rolled my eyes and smirked arrogantly. This corresponding Capitol tux really gave up my identity.

"You've found me."

She smiled and bit her lip flirtatiously.

"I love a man in a tux." She almost begged with her voice and certainly pleaded with her eyes.

I was almost unenthused but I entertained the thought. It was convenient for me.

She sat there and kept speaking to me in bubbly, rehearsed ways while I ate my food and paid my tab.

"So…I'm not sure I caught your name Miss. I'd certainly like to know it."

Her eyes lit up and she bat her eyelashes at me.

"Vivica."

I stood up and cleared my throat, holding my hand out at her side.

"Shall we?"

I could tell she was thoroughly pleased with my invitation. I could hardly stand the perfume she wore or the way she babbled on and on. But I didn't exactly plan on having a deep conversation with her.

So we walked on, outside the café and down the walkway, through the clusters of people, and towards my building…while she talked. It went from my job to my money to my tux and then back around, and here and there she would mention a low connection she had to the Capitol somehow and how exciting it was to be here next to me. I was almost embarrassed to be seen by all these people the more that I listened. I just had a few more minutes to deal with so I tried my best to tune it out.

The tuning out suddenly became extremely easy when I spotted my favorite image in the distance. A familiar bright white smile had caught my eye at first and then I recognized the rest of her face.

Anastasia was wearing a pure white dress. Her red lipstick and dark hair and eyes were so vibrant against the color. I had stopped in my tracks, even though this stranger clung to my arm and insisted on moving forward. I couldn't help myself from watching her approach me. She was laughing at a couple of children who had shoved passed her in the efforts to escape one another as if they were no bother to her. Which seemed completely fitting for her. Her eyes followed the children as they ran further and further away, closer and closer to me. You would have thought they were her own by how tender and interested her expression was.

"Are you alright? What is it?"

I shrugged and stayed focused on Anastasia.

After the children disappeared, her eyes bounced off of several objects ahead of her. Then, much to my surprise they landed directly on me. They were like darts, pinning me where I stood because there was no way I could escape the situation now. I had a girl on my arm and the girl I'd wanted since the moment I heard her glorious voice, staring right back at the both of us.

The best thing I could do was smile. Hopelessly.

Before I could prepare what explanation I would use, she had arrived just a few feet away from me. Much further than I wished she'd come.

"Mr. Crane." Anastasia's voice shook shyly and uncomfortably, placing an obvious barrier between us that I knew I couldn't break then.

"Miss Snow." I licked my lips and forced myself to speak. "It's a pleasure seeing you here. Like this." I rolled my eyes at myself with the end of my sentence, mentally smacking my head against a wall.

"Of course. It's good to see you're still finding free time despite the Games approaching."

She knew she'd caught me off guard and enjoyed calling me out on everything she said I'd do during our last discussion.

I swallowed hard and glanced resentfully at the bimbo on my arm.

"Definitely. Just trying to make friends."

Anastasia's gaze burned holes in me and neither of us seemed to want to go anywhere whether there was a spectator beside us or not.

"Good for you. Good luck with that Mr. Crane."

She flashed me a perfect smile with absolutely no genuine intention of bidding me good luck.

I tossed my head back lightly in reaction, laughing just to keep my calm and shaking my head as she shoved passed me.

"Stas"-"Goodnight to you both."

With that, she disappeared with the rest of the people behind us, but I suffered endlessly that night from the guilt and embarrassment from being caught red-handed.

* * *

The next day was a blur of whiskey and entertainment with more of my Capitol peers. Luckily I was able to escape Snow in the mix of characters and luckily, I was able to keep last night's events in the back of my mind with the alcohol. Whats-her-name had gone home sometime after I'd fallen asleep. I must have pissed her off when I told her to shutup or this wasn't going to work out. After seeing Anastasia, I figured that since she suspected what I had intended on doing with this woman anyways, I'd go ahead and do it afterall. She wouldn't believe me if I tried to convince her anyways. So I enjoyed what I thought I had the freedom to enjoy as one of the most desirable Capitol bachelors.

I stood in a circle of several of the people that I saw on a weekly basis at the luncheons who were stuck on a boring discussion about their daily lives and families. They exchanged stories back and forth about vacations and travels, parties and banquets, and now, they had finally revolutionized to the topic of spouses and children, which I found particularly boring since neither pertained to me. It seemed to be going in a circle. "My sons' going to so and so private college for business" and "now that both of our children are moved on we're planning a vow renewal ceremony. What about you?" and "just struggling through these painful teenage years. I don't know what's gotten into him lately." Everyone had taken a turn, competing for being the most interesting couple, but one remained who hadn't said a word.

"What about you Mr Snow? How is Anastasia? We haven't seen her precious face in too long."

My stomach did flips when I heard her name and I suddenly had gained interest in the conversation.

President Snow stood there, speechless, with all eyes on him. He stared at the floor and smiled absently, brainstorming for what words to say and I couldn't wait to hear what would come out.

"Ana is currently creating an art portfolio to submit to colleges…so when she's not painting somewhere, she's usually hiding from me." He chuckled and scanned everyone's faces to make sure they had all gotten the humor. His eyes locked with mine and I smirked in approval. "Anyhow, I can always count on Seneca to find her it seems."

My face turned ten shades of red when everyone looked at me smiling.

"You've met her, have you? Isn't she delightful? She's so lovable."

I shook off the surprise and smiled around at all of them.

"Yeah, of course she is. She's enchanting. I always look forward to her company. Definitely loveable. Maybe you should bring the princess down from her tower more often Mr Snow. Seems like you're depriving her fans." I pointed at him with my hand that held my drink as they laughed and shifted their attention towards him.

Snow exchanged expressions with me and shrugged.

"Perhaps I should."

With that last comment, Snow excused himself, backed up and walked away from the crowd, down the hall and out of sight. I stood there again asserting my opinion on topics I didn't care about, thinking about a girl I couldn't stop being reminded of.


	4. Chapter 4

"Build your heart an army

To defend your innocence

While you do everything wrong"

* * *

I approached the familiarly extravagant doors and pressed the white pearl button to ring the Snow doorbell. From outside, I could hear the loud, deep bell throughout the house, calling like a grandfather clock to whoever would open the door.

I waited patiently for several moments until the door was opened by another maid I had not encountered before.

"Good afternoon Mr. Crane. Come to see the President? Do come in. I'll tell him you've arrived."

I thanked her and walked through the door to the comfortable set of couches there were beneath their stairway to wait for the man who had summoned me the evening before.

It had been a week since our last encounter which was fairly long for the two of us. Our discussions and meetings were a daily routine it seemed like. So when one day came after another with no sign from Snow it began to seem odd to me.

During the minutes that I waited, I flipped through the pages of a Hunger Games history picture book set out on the gold framed, glass coffee table. After I'd studied every gruesome kill shot and victor it had been around half an hour. That's when the maid returned from around the corner of the staircase, from another hallway I'd never been down apparently.

"Pardon me Sir, but I was told to inform you that your meeting with the President has been cancelled. He has pressing engagements to attend to. He apologizes tremendously and requested that I present this invitation to you."

I rolled my eyes and ripped the black envelope from her hands.

"Thank you."

I shoved the envelope in my pocket without looking at it and walked away anxiously, down the empty halls towards the back of the mansion where I could go through the back and into the yard. Now that I was here and I had a reason, I could do what I'd been planning on doing all week, since that last time I'd seen Anastasia in the city.

Although I had no clue whether she'd be where I was going or not, I figured I'd look right where I'd witnessed seeing her before for the greater chance of finding her.

So I went straight to the roses and peeked down each row for just a sign of her presence. But regardless of my efforts, there was not a hint of her there. Not a ladder. Not a humming tune. Not even the scent that I smelt when I was drawn to this place to meet her. I kept going this time, through an archway and down a set of small stairs that led to the other side of the creek. The river-rock path on the other side of the bridge led me through a tunnel of wisteria and once the tunnel ended, there was a large pond on the other side with a fountain as the centerpiece. I glanced over my shoulder, checking for any audience, and when I knew there wasn't anyone, I proceeded to the edge of the pond slowly, just to take in the scenery. On the opposite side, which seemed like a mile away, willow trees lined the perimeter of the water, shading the entire walkway which ascended into a staircase that seemed to lead to another patio of the house and a door I'd never seen before.

"What do you think you're doing here?"

The voice behind me startled me so much I jumped in place, out of my thought stream.

I spun around to see Anastasia to my relief, carrying a stack of books and an iced beverage in her hand, looking her usual sophisticated self except this time, she had seeing glasses on which only made her look more attractive to me somehow. Who would have thought?

"Well.." I struggled with whether I should fess up or not but spoke before I made a final decision. "I was looking for you of course."

She snorted in amusement and pushed passed me to a concrete bench I hadn't noticed before.

"So you really are stalking me." She sighed heavily and dropped her books down on the end of the bench, sitting beside them in the middle, leaving a perfectly empty place at her side just for me.

"It's not stalking, its pursuing. Besides, you were the one behind me. So who's following who here?"

She ignored me and stared off into the distance, pressing her glasses up on her nose higher.

"I thought you'd be by the roses again." I said softly, hoping this would involve her in the conversation I was having with myself.

"Did you?"

I waited to see if she said anything else with her response but she picked up a book, opened it up to the bookmark and began reading, merely acknowledging my existence.

I frowned and shifted my position to face the water rather than her.

"I don't much like the roses this time of year."

She nearly whispered after a few more moments of silence, as if she was sore on the topic.

"Why's that?" I tried to respond softly whether I was excited for her interaction or not.

Another silent sigh came out of her again, leaving her speechless as if she hadn't said a word.

I leaned forward and scratched my forehead uncomfortably, feeling as if there were underlying messages of irritations she was trying to establish. Should I leave? Should I apologize for the other night? What the hell did I even have to apologize for? It's not my fault she had poor timing. It's not my fault she's alone and I'm not.

I kept gathering excuses in my mind and the longer my list was the more my cockiness was restored, so I sat back up with pride and placed my arm along the back of the bench, just grazing the strands of dark autumn brown curls she had pulled over one shoulder.

I studied her intently, as if there was something I was waiting for her to do and she had to have noticed. How can you so easily ignore someone sitting so close beside you?

"Are you trying to read over my shoulder Mr. Crane?" She gently closed the book, protecting it from breaking and finally glanced up at me.

She ripped off her glasses when she looked away and pulled her dress over her exposed knees, rubbing her hands against them to warm them.

"There's no use in working in the roses right now." Anastasia continued just as shyly as she had before. "My father takes his stress out on them this time of year."

I finally broke my gaze as well, joining her in staring out at the glorious water fountain and the singing birds that had decided to dance around it.

"Correct me if I'm mistaken, but he doesn't exactly strike me as the ultimate nurturer."

She bit her lip and shook her head, fighting the smile that was underneath.

"No."

I lowered my head slightly to be able to hear he barely audible voice before she continued.

"No…he does it more for control. When he feels the intensity of the Hunger Games approaching he takes it out on the plants…cutting away any dying or unpleasant looking blooms. I think it's soothing for him. Regaining his control on helpless organisms."

I hid my smile behind my hand and itched the side of my nose.

"I was almost positive that's what I was here for."

She grinned and looked up at me sympathetically.

"My deepest condolences. You know he's going to start trying to control that beard on your face if you don't do something with it soon."

I tossed my head back, laughing at her observation and stroke my beard that had gone somewhat out of control since the last time I'd shaved.

"Honestly, I can't understand why you even showed up here with that thing."

"Well he told me to do something flashy….and provocative. This isn't either of the two to you?"

She giggled while shaking her head.

"Poor problem solving. You should at least trim the damn thing. How did you plan on a beard being so flashy?"

"Well he has a flashy beard! I don't know, you're the crafty one. I'm seeking your counsel on the matter, what should I do with it?"

"I'm a painter not a sculptor. Da Vinci couldn't even handle what's going on, on your face right now."

"You're so quick to criticize me. You don't care to help solve the problem?"

Anastasia rolled her eyes and stared back into the distance, as if remembering to be shy again.

"You really trust me with a razor against your skin?"

Even though I had been mostly kidding, the image of Anastasia stroking my neck and showing enough attention to me to be able to accomplish that task allured me.

She saw me entertaining this thought and shoved my side while she blushed. "Who do you think I am?! I'm not your barber!"

I couldn't keep the guilty grin off my face as she wiggled further away from me.

Another few seconds later and she seemed to have contained herself again into a shy little girl.

"I'm just saying you should handle it before the ball next week."

"What ball?"

"You know…You must have gotten an invitation by now, it's not like you wouldn't be on the list. The first annual President's pre-games garden ball. All of the fabulous Capitol citizens my father approves of will be attending. It's right up your alley. I'm sure your attendance is vital to him anyways." She snarled when she mentioned the 'Capitol citizens' like there was a bad stench attached to the words.

"You know they're not as bad as you make them seem. They actually really enjoy your company. I had to listen all about it the other night." I rolled my eyes as if it was a horrible task.

"What did they say?" She responded only have amused.

"Just, 'Oh she's so delightful. Isn't she so loveable!', the whole time."

She grinned with pride and raised an eyebrow.

"And what did you tell them?"

I sighed and shook my head, shifting my weight so that I could bring my leg up to rest on the other.

"I told them how much I disagreed. What a horribly selfish, rotten person you were and how all you do is go around splashing oil paint on the people who like you."

Her eyes lit up and she bit her lip hesitantly. "No you didn't!" She scrunched her nose, shaking her head unbelievably.

"I'm sorry Anastasia. I'm many things but I'm not a liar."

She giggled and looked down at her feet as her cheeks turned pink.

"You've broken my façade. There's no use now."

"No there's not. I have you all figured out."

Her face got brighter after I said that, and she became uncomfortably silent.

I wondered if I hurt her feelings on accident, but instead of making any further conversation I sat next to her just as quietly.

After a minute or two of nothing, she turned to me and sighed, as if she was bringing up the courage to say something.

"I keep waiting for you to get bored with me like I know is going to happen… I wish you would. I wish you'd get this part over with. Because most newcomers love me, just like you heard, but then move on when their fame hits them. It seems to be taking an oddly long amount of time with you, but at least I've seen it begin to happen with Vivica. She's usually one of the firsts anyways. Maybe it's because you already had it all before you came here. I heard you basically slept your way to an interview. So you probably had a pretty high horse to begin with. That's what my dad warned me about you. He's never warned me about anyone before. That must take a lot. But I've had a difficult time telling whether the warning's going to do any good or not. Nobody has ever stuck around long enough to test my self-control. I don't know if I should feel flattered that you've kept coming back, or afraid….because it seems like neither of us really have any self-control with each other to begin with."

By the time she finished I felt like I'd either been holding my breath the entire time, or I'd been hit with a truck. Every time she said something I'd never expected to hear from her, which was nearly the whole speech, my jaw dropped a little bit more.

I sat there dumbfounded, staring back at her while I was processing everything she'd told me. My response time seemed to expired, because she stood up, grabbed her belongings and took a deep breath. She seemed so much more confident now. I actually had a sense of what she was thinking and knew now that she could feel the warm tension between us.

"Sorry if I've startled you Seneca. I have faith that you can handle it. I hope to see you at the ball. Have a wonderful day."

I must have looked dumber and dumber, the longer I went without speaking. But she seemed to understand I was processing what she'd shared with me because she politely excused herself and disappeared into the wisteria tunnel behind me.


	5. Chapter 5 - Part 1

"I don't want to repeat my innocence. I want the pleasure of losing it again."

* * *

"Alright, Seneca. Tell me what you think."

The blue-haired barber spun my chair around, so that I could face my revolutionized beard in the mirror and study the work of art he'd just created out of my mess of scruff.

"Wow." I blinked a couple times before stroking the mat of sculpted hair on my face. It looked like flames, the way there were columns of skin showing through the sharp edged spikes of facial hair.

"Do you love it?"

I smiled and shook my head.

"No….I'm obsessed with it…"

I stood up and turned to pay him generously.

"I'll be back coming back."

"You're welcome, Seneca."

I stopped before the door and turned back to face him, smiling at his snappy comment.

"I owe you."

Another week had come and gone already, which meant I had to handle my appearance situation and I had to set out to this ball that Snow had organized. I figured the reason Snow decided to create this random event must have had something to do with the discussion of everyone wanting to see Anastasia. But I couldn't be certain. Not every thought revolved around Anastasia, after all.

I arrived at the mansion yet again, but I'd never seen it at dark before. The sun still peaked just over the horizon, hanging onto the last minutes of daylight it had, but the rest of the ascending night sky had been dark enough to let the lights that were set up shine brilliantly. I had never noticed the pillars that lined the driveway so much as I did then. Tiny lights spiraled up each of them and wound around the spherical shrubs that grew out of the tops, creating glowing globes all along the entrance. The large, front double doors were held wide open for the clusters of anxious people rushing through. I felt like I was stuck in slow motion, watching all of them pass me in their vibrantly colored, eccentric dresses and tuxes. Even my tux, which normally had an almost black hue, was extremely red under the amount of lights that surrounded me. Inside, there was a new chandelier that hung obnoxiously from a gold chain. This one even had outshone the crystal that embedded the former chandelier in the foyer, reflecting millions of different lights and colors with each microscopic movement. I scanned the walls which were occupied with projected videos of kills from previous years in the games' arena, and then was attracted to the crystal encrusted and light wrapped banisters. My eyes followed them all the way to the top, where President Snow stood in-between joining staircases, propping himself up on both arms, leaning over the large swarm of crazed Capitol citizens down below. He had a large smile on his face, more amused than I had ever witnessed him myself.

I returned my attention back to the rest of the party, specifically the avox that slipped passed me with a tray of champagne. I grabbed two of these tall glasses and began to drink from one of them efficiently, squeezing my way through mass of chattering people that blocked me from continuing through the rest of the party. I was just able to get a peek of the packed bar when a powerful slap on my back knocked me forward and stole the wind out of my lungs. I didn't have to turn around to see who it was after I heard the obnoxious laughs of one of the other gamekeepers.

"Double-fisting it tonight, are we?"

I spun around with a smile and shrugged my shoulders.

"It's just that kind of night. How are we feeling tonight Caesar?"

He laughed again and grabbed both of the glasses out of my hands carelessly, slapping them down on a tray of hors d'oeuvres that were passing by.

"We'll be feeling a hell of a lot better when you're drinking something better than that. Don't! Move!"

I rolled my eyes as he disappeared towards the bar. At least he was doing me a favor. I stood there with my hands in my pockets, waiting patiently for less than a minute when I heard my name being called by him. By the time I had gotten to the bar and found a spot next to him, he'd started up a line of shots for me, all of which made my mouth water and made a smile spread widely across my face. Caesar and I exchanged looks and each of us grabbed one glass.

"You know me too well." I winked and slammed down the first shot of rich, sweet brandy effortlessly. Then the second…Then the third…

"You look like you need help with those boys!" An unfamiliar female voice came in-between us and a stocky woman reached over Caesar's shoulder, retrieving a shot from his stash and another for a younger, much more beautiful girl following her.

"Seneca, my wife, Villiam and her _single_ sister Haven."

I shot him a death glare for immediately proposing I was interested. But when I looked back at the sister, I forgot my irritation in the bright green pools she had for eyes.

"Pleased to me you." She batted her eyelashes and shook my hand softly.

I forgot to respond to her when Caesar began talking again. He had that kind of booming voice.

"Seneca! Reload shot." I did as he told, grabbing the last drink prepared and we all waited for the continuation of his speech.

"To another grueling, torturous year. Happy Hunger Games!"-"And may the odds be ever in your favor." Villiam finished in a snarky manor, glancing back and forth between her sister and I.

Before I had time to finish my last shot, I was being pulled by Haven, behind Villiam and Caesar who led the way towards the back, where I knew we'd exit through the French doors and into the garden somehow. Which is exactly what we did. All faces and movements were blurred to me now, and thanks to my binge of brandy, I couldn't care less who was grabbing my hand to take me wherever. We ended up being stopped by another group of people who were standing on the patio, admiring the exquisite display of more tremendous lights that were carefully placed throughout the gardens ahead. And for that, moment, while my spinning head could finally focus once again, I looked for myself. Although the view might have been more appreciable with a sober perspective, it was still breathtaking with two sets of everything. I didn't have to walk through the mazes of artistically groomed shrubs, or the exceptionally cared for rose and wisteria to recognize their glow from there. The lights made everything so much more elaborate and dazzling. Like a painted picture.

"What on earth is that delicious scent? It's so…." – "It's the roses. Firefighter." I answered before one of the women had time to finish her sentence.

They laughed at my haste and made fun of me and my knowledge of the botanical contents that made the air linger so sweetly.

"I only know because I've asked." I defended, returning to the group from my daze.

I felt a gentle nudge at my side and I looked down to see what it had come from.

Haven's dreamy eyes met with mine again and she began to speak to me through perfectly plush lips.

"I don't mind a man with good taste in roses."

I took longer than I normally would to break my gaze from hers but eventually turned my sight back to the others, smirking confidently.

My hand somehow ended up occupied again in the next few minutes, with another powerful drink and before I knew, the drink was being replaced by Haven's hand again.

I looked back down at her slowly and she was already returning the eye contact.

"Take me to dance." She begged with her voice and eyes.

I glanced up towards the illuminated, beaming mansion before us, which was releasing a loud rhythm of music from a source somewhere inside.

I thought of declining the offer at first, but when I looked back down the knot in my throat wouldn't let a refusal pass it.

"Whatever you want, Sweetheart." Was all that slurred out of my mouth before I was being dragged along again by my hand.

After what seemed like an hour of being pulled through a tunnel of colorful blurs, we stopped in the middle of several spinning and rocking couples, who she had me joining in a matter of seconds. It was easy to twirl her around, like a feather, and bring her back to me effortlessly. She kept our gazes locked most of the time, as if she didn't care for anything but keeping my attention. I was completely captivated with this, but then, out of nowhere, my mind switched gears at the sound of nothing but the sweet name of 'Anastasia', being whispered throughout the crowds around us. Our dancing came to an abrupt halt when I turned to face what everyone was facing, and to look at what everyone was looking at up the stairs.

And there she was again.

I watched her descend from the top of the stairs. Elegantly. Superiorly. Covered in gold and clear stones. Decorated with delicate strands of pearls.

I heard her words echoing back and forth in my mind. 'I keep waiting for you to get bored with me like I know is going to happen.' And I argued with them inside, as if she'd just said them. How could I ever be bored with that? I asked myself as she took each step so modestly. Her lips hid her gleaming smile, but I knew she was fighting so hard to hold it back by the look on her face. I seemed to be floating closer to her, trying to part the people that kept us separated, but I felt like I was only a fan, begging to get passed the barriers of people who longed to be in her presence just like I did. I had to wait, unlike I ever had to before, just in order to see her, or better yet, speak to her. As she got closer to the bottom of the stairs she began to scan faces, and actually let her smile through. She started on the faces to the right of me, and let her eyes drag to the left slowly. She seemed to acknowledge each face and I grew more and more anxious for her eyes to meet with mine. To confirm that her last provocative words for me weren't just a figment of my drunken imagination.

Finally she got to me. Her eyes did for that matter. Anastasia bit her lip like she usually did when our eyes locked. Her cheeks blushed of course, my favorite shade of red, but before I got my satisfaction, her eyes flashed behind me, at the girl who still grasped my whole arm, and who I held an arm around carelessly, as if she belonged to me, and I could see the change on Anastasia's face instantly. My moment with her ended as quickly as it had begun and she was scanning the rest of the crowd before I could accept.

I wanted to reach out and grab her hand, and pull her arm through mine to keep her at my side, but with her last step, I watched as someone else did exactly what I should have been doing. I watched another man extend his arm out to her and take my girl away fearlessly. He guided her away from me, turning both backs on me and starting into the next room of people. I watched as she turned her head over her shoulder and stared back at me one more time, as if to say goodbye. As if to say I did exactly what she expected me to do. And even though our gazes were strong enough to bring us back to each other, her figure quickly disappeared around the corner.


	6. Chapter 5 - Part 2

I had kept Haven next to me while we ventured through the mansion, I tried constantly to shove through the crowds but I would be redirected into a circle and soon it seemed completely impossible to get to the opposite side of the place.

"Seneca. I don't understand what you're doing! Let's dance again! Or at least go back outside!"

I ignored her silently and scanned the faces in the room we were in.

"Seneca?"

I finally looked down at Haven impatiently, but when I saw the confusion on her face, I realized how much of a madman I was behaving like, wandering around this place aimlessly.

"Sorry." I mumbled, shifting her arm back through mine comfortably.

I did as she suggested and led us back through the patio doors, to the group of gamemakers and their dates that still lingered there. Although we'd shifted back into our original places next to Caesar and Villiam, my eyes searched the clusters behind us for any sign of her…Anastasia.

"Did you drop your pocket Mr. Crane?"

My attention shot right back into the group when I heard my very favorite, delicate sound. This was the only female who absolutely refused to consistently call me by my first name. I was beginning to think that was what she called me when she was irritated with me, and that she only use the name Seneca when she was feeling directly intimate to me.

Anastasia stood clear across from me, but too many feet away, with the same gentleman that had claimed her from her arrival.

Everyone's eyes were on me now, waiting to see what clever comeback I had this time. But for once, to their disappointment, I had absolutely nothing. It was a strange feeling, having her there around my regular peers. I suddenly realized that I didn't know whether to act professional or to be….whatever I was when I was with her. The combination of the two did not mix well. I felt like the combination of the two probably just resulted into…asshole.

There was an awkward silence when I never replied to Anastasia's comment. Her face expression went from confident to flustered in just a few moments. She'd been waiting to hear me sound baffled and shocked, but the fact of the matter, was that she had already done enough to get under my skin by not choosing me. And that was all that I would let happen for the time being.

"I don't think I recognize you, Miss. Who are you exactly?" Anastasia continued to prod with more questions.

I licked my lips and stared blankly into the distance, unentertained by the conversation.

"This is my younger sister." Villium finally filled in. "Haven, this is President Snow's daughter, Anastasia."

Haven's posture straightened up and she greeted Anastasia warmly. They sounded identical.

The next time an avox with champagne came by I grabbed another glass desperately. I could have used a few more brandy shots at that point. When I took a few drinks I somehow mustered up the calmness to finally take a look at who Anastasia clung to. He was tall, blonde, and sophisticated looking. Probably what Snow hoped of for his daughter. We might've crossed paths before. He looked strangely familiar but the last thing I wanted to do was ask him where I knew him from. Instead I stood there staring rudely and bitterly, trying to find something terribly wrong with them as a pair.

There was nothing.

Finally, to break the terribly endless generic conversations, the topic of returning to the bar broke everyone up. Some went one direction while the rest went the other. Haven hesitated to wait for me, but it seemed that even she had picked up on my crumby mood. So she retreated with the others. I stood there awkwardly alone now, zoning out into space, maybe sobering up more as my irritation killed my buzz.

"No, that's alright I don't mind. Go ahead go with them."

"Thank you for the time Hun. I'll be back around."

I heard exchange of words before I turned away from the direction of Anastasia. I didn't want to seem like I'd eavesdrop.

I heard footsteps walking away…and then I waited.

Anastasia sighed uncomfortably. I could tell, not by looking of course, that she was considering approaching me. I knew she'd come to it, just like she did the other day when she knew what she wanted to say.

"You're just in such a delightful mood tonight. I can't help but to compliment it."

I smirked victoriously, without turning around and shrugged in response.

"Thanks. You're a doll."

She finally marched up to my side, grabbing my arm and pushing on it as if it was going to shake me out of my mood.

"Don't be a poor sport. You're acting like a toddler."

I bit my cheek to fight back any reaction I ignored her statement and stayed silent.

"Well?"

I rolled my eyes and looked down at her at last.

"What?"

It felt so good to be next to her again. Alone. I wanted to stop treating her like dirt. But I found myself enjoying the attention that came with neglecting her.

She threw her hands on her hips and pouted.

"You already had someone hanging off of you, Seneca. You always do. And then you come around and try to persuade me, as if I want to be one of the numbers. And now that you missed your opportunity finally, because of your fickleness, you're mad at me."

I waited calmly for her to finish and once she did, she waited for my argument.

"I'm not mad at you." I simply lied. "I'm just drunk…Can't a guy have alittle buzz?"

She glared at me skeptically and studied me from head to toe.

"You're just drunk?"

"Mhm." I agreed cheerfully. I held out my champagne and offered it to her. "You should have some. You seem alittle tense."

She grabbed the glass from me aggressively, seeing right through my fake generosity.

"You know, Seneca." She threw the contents of the glass into my face, splashing champagne all over the top of my body. "Maybe you should just have some more."

With that, Anastasia took off, down the steps and into the lit up rows of the garden, leaving me like a statue to sulk in my fury and shame.

I stood motionless until I could lift one shaking hand and wipe the beads of alcohol from my eyes.

Whoever there was on the patio, was now watching me silently, completely enthralled with what had just happened.

I watched Anastasia still as she gained distance away from me, but at the last minute, I suddenly decided that this was quite possibly the most perfect opportunity to have her alone. So I started after her. One of my steps equaled three of hers, and by the time she turned the corner, I had already gained on her significantly.

"Stasia." I tried to call with a whisper. I had a feeling she heard me, but kept moving away.

"Stasia, just fucking wait." I took one large step ahead so that I could grab her wrist to pull her back to me.

She ripped her arm away from my grip as soon as she made eye contact with me again. "You're pathetic. I don't want to see you."

"That woman wasn't my date, alright? I had a few drinks with one of the gamemakers and she happened to be alone. We danced. She's fucking gorgeous, and I just let her get away because I saw an opportunity to be in your good grace again." My mind had suddenly become completely sober it seemed with my defensive reflexes on edge. Since she was listening, and I was on a rant, I kept defending. "You know, I could totally take her home with me tonight, if I felt the need to. But you didn't exactly see me paying her the attention when you walked into the room did you? So don't try to act like I haven't made you a priority of mine ok?"

I stopped ranting and took a deep, slow breath. This was much too dramatic for me. I preferred communication to be quick and to the point. But this hadn't ever been the case with Anastasia. We both always avoided any deep discussion as if neither of us wondered about the other, which had led directly to this. Maybe we were so tense from trying to act like we didn't give a damn that it had led to this.

I scratched the top of my head and leaned my back entirely against a tree that was next to us.

Alcohol and arguments were an exhausting combination.

"What a mess." She declared sadly, shaking her head at the ground.

She circled the tree and leaned against the side directly opposite of me, and then we sat in silence, contemplating what the next move should be.

"I was fine before you disturbed me, you know." Her voice was so high and quiet again. That's what made me feel like she was so innocent, before she told me what fears and guilty pleasures about me were really on her mind.

I thought about her statement and shook my head, although she couldn't see me.

"I was fine too. Who wants to be just fine though?"

I scaled the tree with the fingers of my hand that hung at my side, further towards her until our hands touched. I felt her flinch at first, but then relax submissively so that I could grab her fingers gently.

"We'd be better off not speaking any longer Mr. Crane." She whispered hopelessly. I heard panic in her voice.

I cleared my throat and stepped around to her side rather bravely. Or at least I felt brave at that moment.

"Seneca." I reminded, brushing my thumb over her cold knuckles and placing my free hand underneath her chin. She continued to stare down at our feet as I moved closer and closer.

"I completely agree with you. I don't think a single more word is necessary." I muttered one last time before I closed the gap between us with our lips. My eyes shut themselves after I watched Anastasia's eyes fluttered closed. Her lips glided perfectly into mine with no resistance and she let me tip her head back to deepen my kiss. I didn't hear anything outside of us then. Before, there were chirping crickets and croaking frogs. Doves cooed above us in the trees and the trickling of the stream that flowed through the garden seemed to bring all the sounds together in harmony. But now, everything else had silenced, aside from the sound of her shaky breathing and our brushing skin and lips. I begged her to let me go further, tracing her soft lips with my tongue and she immediately stopped taking me back. I didn't let my grip go when she pulled away, I only stared longingly and desperately at her mouth, praying that I would get to have it back soon. In fact, she stared back at me in quite a similar way, licking her lips with a delicate gasp as if I'd taken something from her.

We both sat there staring at each other, in awe at what we'd just felt for the past minute.

"Do you think we should"-"Do that again?" I finished for her.

Before she could finish nodding I'd already pulled her back with my hands behind her neck to guide her. And for those next few minutes when she was all mine and I was all hers, I was certain I'd never need another girl again.

This time she let me through all the way. As soon as my tongue tickled the inside of her top lip I heard her breath heavier again. She was trying to camouflage the sound of her tiny, excited moans with her breathing but I could tell every difference. I felt her free arm cling to my side, and then crawl up my back to hang on to my shoulder while she tightened her grip on my hand.

She broke her lips away from mine suddenly, as if she couldn't breathe so I kept kissing her all the way down her jawline and into the crook of her neck.

Her breathing turned into tiny whispers in my ear when I made that transition. Whispers of my name.

This sound drove me completely wild. I wanted so badly to feel her everywhere against me when she called for me like that. I forced her back against the tree and put my weight into her with every amount of passion I had beating through me.

Her voice got more and more desperate for me the harder I pressed into her.

I stopped kissing her neck and pulled away just enough to look back up at her face. I love the way her eyes stared back at mine now. She was so stirred up and so comfortable to be there, that close to me.

"Seneca." She whispered calmly, after sighing deeply. "I think we need to stop."

I swallowed and tipped my head back instantly, groaning in agony.

"NO. No. You are not going to do this to me. I promise I'll stop. I'll control myself!" I said loosening my grip and backing away. "Look I'm behaving."

She smiled and shook her head shamefully.

"I know you'll stop if I ask. But I know I won't…so I have to leave." She let go of my hand and stepped away from me.

"What? That doesn't make sense Stasia! Ok so I won't let you...I'll stop you from touching me I promise. Just don't leave!"

I grabbed her hands again and held them to my beating chest.

"You and I both know that could never happen Seneca. I'm going back before this gets out of hand."

I bit my lip and kept her hands glued to me.

"Don't you think it's already there?" I battled endlessly, as long as it was for the sake of keeping her. "Do you really think it's still within our control now?"

She smiled guiltily and looked down with blushing cheeks.

"I won't run away again after this I promise."

I groaned again as she tore her hands away from my grasp.

"You always leave me."

She waited to respond to me, until she was several yards away and then replied, "Well you always follow."

I stood there speechless with my wild desire, clasping my chest where my heart pounded like it never had before. I'd never been one to follow. I never found myself having to. But I wouldn't have considered this a follow. To me, this was a full-fledged chase for me, and I found myself loving every single second of it.


	7. Chapter 6

Just to clarify, I did not make any connection of the Caesars. The Caesar in my story was completely made up haha and obviously Caesar Flickerman is not my character, nor is he a gamemaker, nor did I even realize that I had just made another Caesar…With that being said, I hope that clears that problem up, if it was ever a problem for some of you in the first place. Review and Favorite please! Au revoir!

"and like the dawn you woke the world inside of me

you were the brightest shade of sun when I saw you

and you will surely be the death of me

but how could I have known?"

I floated back to the party on cloud nine that night and after countless moments of catching torturous smiles and eye contact from Anastasia from across the room, I went home in the same euphoric state.

It seemed impossible to sleep that night but somehow I managed to slumber. Maybe it was the combination of my thoughts of Anastasia and the overwhelming reminders that kept telling me to focus on the fact that this year's games were officially here and I needed to dedicate myself to them. I woke to a full schedule the next day. With the games underway, my life would only consist of checking the arena, reviewing weaponry, verifying necessary data with the districts and perfecting the process furthermore. By the time I was hired as the head gamemaker, the arena terrain had already been selected and began its development but I came in early enough to be able to but my special touch to it. This year's setting was a rainforest. There were millions of shades of greens that canopied the entire arena. The clear sky could not be seen but through the foliage of the enormous, towering trees. Some of the creatures that were hidden in caves and even under fern leaves would mean the very death of some tributes. There were genetically altered frogs and plants that could cause cardiac arrest or skin rashes that would make the skin peel off. The possibilities of outcome were endless here, but when there was a reigning victor at the end of the 72nd Hunger Games, this place would become an absolute utopia. There was a waterfall hidden among the most difficult place to reach in the ecosystem and surrounding it were fruit trees and wildflowers and bulbs and shrubs that all flourished because of the rich supply in humidity and mutualism. At the bottom of the waterfall was a pool of bath temperature water where lily pads and passion flowers intertwined to infuse the water with pineapple and sorbet scents. Surely this would be one of the most popular travel attractions among Capitol citizens when it was available.

Before the arena was put in perfect order for the games, I sent for a delivery of each of the wildflowers and blossoms that grew near the waterfall. There were 30 different varieties, which ended up being perfect because it would be 15 days until I got to see Anastasia again. These flowers were assorted into lush bouquets, two different kinds of blossoms for each one. I arranged for a bouquet to be sent directly to Anastasia each day, just to keep her mind on me, as if I was a war veteran being shipped off far away and out of reach from her. In reality, she would probably be irrationally unhappy with me every day that the games continued, because she knew that I was the main source of everything that would happen in the arena. Nothing could happen, nobody could die or even could take a breath without my approval for that matter. So my bouquets could either be a settlement or a token depending on how she accepted it. I wished that I could give them to her personally once I saw the floral arrangements.

Besides being the overseer of all Hunger Games matters, there were special appearances I had to make. There was an interview with Caesar Flickerman that was on live television throughout Panem. I'd watched the show of course, every single year, but this would be my first time on the other side of the screen so a particular anxiety flooded my mind when I was invited onto the brightly lit stage.

I smiled into the large audience, approaching the empty chair next to Caesar as quickly and smoothly as possible.

"Welcome, Seneca Crane. We are so excited to welcome you to the Hunger Games team this year! Tell us, what skills do you think you have to offer to the table this year? Or should I say arena?"

After a small chuckle from the crowd I cleared my throat and forced words out of my speechless mouth, hoping that whatever came out of it didn't sound unintelligent.

"Actually, they said they were only hiring me for my face…and charm. President Snow is the only one with actual skill coming into this season. In fact, they were questioning whether or not they should even trust me up here."

Another fit of laughing came from the audience and I had to smirk in celebration that my words came out fluently.

"Is that a fact?" Caesar joined in with them while shaking his head. "Sure. I'm sure. Let's talk about what brought you here, to this position, what made you believe you had what it took to be the head gamemaker of the official Hunger Games?"

I bit my lip and straightened up a bit, now that I had gotten the first few words out of my system successfully.

"Well, you know, I've always had a curiosity for what lies beneath the surface of the operation. I wasn't satisfied with just watching the tributes compete every year, I wanted to know how it all happened and what made these circumstances come upon each competitor. And with the endless curiosity just came knowledge and more knowledge and eventually I found myself in the schooling to get me here and before I knew, I'm standing in front of President Snow himself."

"Very good. So would it be safe to say you knew this was your calling?"

I nodded slowly and scanned all of the faces in front of me, admiring me like a god and I suddenly realized that I could say nothing wrong.

"Yeah. You could definitely say that."

"So tell us what makes you so special?" He chuckled. "Tell us, why are you made to be a gamemaker?"

"I think there's a control issue that underlies my mentality. That seems to be the deal maker for me."

Another applause from the audience.

"Indeed. That's understandable. I can see where that can help." He laughed and winked at me.

"What has the lifestyle adjustment been like, Seneca? What are the pros to being head gamemaker outside the job? I'm sure there's been a fine social adjustment!"

I sighed and thought of all the new attention I'd gotten lately, the new car and penthouse. The endless supply of interested women and the intimidated men who envied my life.

"I'm going to have to say the housing accommodations have been the best so far. But there are a lot of things I've loved about my life lately. It's rather difficult to get used to."

Caesar nodded and motioned his hand at me as to keep going.

"Do tell, Sir, do tell."

I chuckled and rolled my eyes.

"Well I mean of course the interactions with people with common interests have been great. I've had the luxury of better transportation. Not to mention the balls and parties." I stopped out of boredom.

"Well you mentioned being quite the charm to be around, with an exclusively nice face, don't pretend that you're not a ladiesman. We all know better don't we folks?"

There was feminine giggling and chatter around the audience.

I sighed in contemplation and my stomach turned as I debated on what step to take now. It had been so easy until now. How could I not get myself in trouble?

"Not at all…." They laughed at me then of course. "No really. Just one lady's man."

"Oh? One lady you say? Does this one lady have a name?"

I wanted to throw up then. I'd come to a dead end that said turn back now.

"Uhh…Well let's just say the foundation is just being settled right now."

'Good save' I thought to myself.

"Ah, being extra secretive about it then. I see. We'll get back to that sometime."

I smirked and approved with a nod.

"So, Seneca, aside from being able to humor and charm them like we just learned you can do so well, what do you think this year's tributes will have to look for out there in terms of strategy?"

Finally a question worth answering, I thought.

"Well I obviously have had a long time to think about all the things that I would change. And not only that, but I've been able to see the games from an entirely different perspective. So it's safe to say that I know just what needs to be added and taken away. I think this year will be far more creative and intense. So basically an overall difficulty level will be something they'll have to think about."

"Beautiful!" He clapped excitedly and the crowd followed his actions just as well. "We look forward to seeing what those changes are! Ladies and gentlemen, Seneca Crane!"

I stood up and we shook hands, smiling at the crowd rather than at each other.

He gave me a dismissing nod after a few seconds and released the hand shake, letting me walk back off the stage where I had just appeared from moments before.

I returned right back to the control station after that. Shortly after I arrived back, the avox who was supposed to deliver the bouquet to Anastasia returned with the item still in her hands.

"What are you doing here with those? I told you hours ago to take those to Anastasia. Is that so difficult?"

She looked up at me nervously as if there were something I did not know.

"Go ahead, say it."

"She will not accept them Sir."

I paused and shook my head as if I did not understand, because I didn't.

"What do you mean she won't accept them? I didn't tell you to communicate with her I said to deliver them. Nothing less, nothing more."

The avox shrugged shamefully and stared at the ground harder.

"Miss Snow just said that she believed it to be inappropriate and said she could not accept them."

"Ugh." I rolled my eyes, imagining Anastasia's reaction in my mind all too well. "Ok, look, I want you to take these back. Leave them. If I see these again, I'm disposing you and I don't give a shit what happens since you apparently can't listen. What good are you to me if you can't do what I ask? GO. I don't care what she says."

The avox disappeared again, more quickly than she had before because of my threats. I had no idea Anastasia could piss me off from a distance as well.

How could she just send my gift back? Didn't she realize what these were? Those flowers would have taken any other woman's breath away, but since it was Anastasia I was dealing with, I got them handed back to me.

What did inappropriate mean? I was so confused in the matter of those few seconds that I had to sit down and rub my forehead. It seemed like this control center was a bad omen for me. All things negative happened here, but I only had the option of getting used to it. I took a deep breath and sat up again, staring down at all of the changing holographic screens of tributes that were selected the day before. I had my own screen on my desk that I began to play with. I could access everything from this unit as well. So I pulled up Anastasia's profile, battling between whether this action was creepy, or devoted. My head pulled towards creepy, my heart pulled towards devoted. The profile came up instantly, and showed a small map on the bottom of where she was. Above was information about her life. Things I'd probably be better off learning from her, not a computer database, so I avoided reading any of the information, but stared at the image that identified her. Although everything was blue, I could tell her lips were stained dark red that day, like they usually were. She had a hat on in the picture which cast a dark shadow over shy expression. I stared into her eyes as if they were really staring back at mine. It didn't help my long to hear her. Or my curiosity of why she didn't take my gift. But for a short, pathetic moment, I was able to act like she was there. And somehow, I had a feeling that would be my escape during these two very long weeks ahead of me.


	8. Chapter 7

In celebration, raise your glasses to the first 200 reads of the story! Thanks for the interest everyone!

* * *

"Hold on to your heart

'Cause I'm coming to take it

Hold on to your heart

'Cause I'm coming to break it"

* * *

The bloodbaths were endless. A hay hook through the leg, a rusty spike through the eye, a tree branch through the gut. Random kills were happening left and right and narrowing the tributes down quickly. We'd used up 20 cannons, leaving three males and one female tribute as candidates for the 72nd victor. District 1, 3,4, and 8 all had chances to succeed still and I was working to make their lives a living hell every second that they survived. There was a dinosaur-like bird that had been designed over night by my programmers and the outcome of their creation was a hot, fire-breathing, limb-tearing masterpiece. There needed to be something of an upland species after the last nightmare they had conquered. I was sad to see the carnivorous, car-sized ape be defeated after only two kills. I had expected most of the remaining tributes to succumb to its terror. This new landmark would surely bring us to either a victor or the final two competitors.

We placed the lair of the pterodactyl in a tree above the cornucopia where we called the tributes to receive the last packages from their sponsors. As soon as the tributes arrived, they each began to scurry to get their package, the males attacking each other when near, ignoring the girl entirely. She'd thought that she was going to get away now. She had her canister and dashed out of the reach of each of her rivals in no time. But she didn't know any better than to keep going forward without looking above her head until a large, soaring shadow crept over her. Her shrieks of terror were the one thing that made the three male tributes look away from their previous engagements to see her be swept off of the ground by the human sized talons. The monster instantly shredded the helpless prey with its least bit of strength, circling the next victims with entrails dangling from its large claws.

The seemingly little boys scattered after that, trying to find cover as the beast plowed tropical trees out of the ground, determined to obliterate each of them. Two of the tributes kept up with each other at the same pace but as soon as they realized this, a push and shove battle began between them. Each time one fell behind, they were moments closer to becoming the sacrifice to the predator. Rather than focusing on catching up with the leading tribute, District 1 and 8 both lost their chances more and more to the odds of getting impaled by talons. To the animals advantage, each claw could wrap perfectly around each of the targeted bodies. After this was done, 3 was far ahead of the race. Too far to even realized he had just won the Hunger Games. Edgar Ingalls was still running forward, over collapsed trees and oversized ferns. Two cannons went off for the deceased opponents and several moments later, when he realized what he'd just heard, he stopped dead in his tracks. Everyone in the control center chuckled lowly at this reaction.

I pressed down on a circle on my screen, the button to the overhead speaker of the arena.

"It is my pleasure to present to you, the 72nd Annual Hunger Games Victor."

Most of the technicians rose in celebration, hugging each other and congratulating one another on another successful year of exciting violence and sacrifice.

I merely kept my eyes on the screen, watching as the tribute fell to his knees, raising both arms in the sky and screaming at the top of his lungs in pride.

Shortly after, the hovercraft arrived to transport him back to the Capitol.

"Well done everyone. Thanks for the hard work, see you back here soon." I announced to the crew, grabbing my jacket off of my chair to put it back on.

Several people acknowledged my leave, but I hastily marched down the hall, exiting the center entirely. I rushed to the box seat of the square where everyone flooded to. Luckily I could escape the hordes and return to my usual social circle. The rest of the gamemakers stood clustered with President Snow when I arrived. They all acknowledged my arrival with ecstatic smiles and raised drinks, yelling praises and congrats.

"Oh you guys saw that, did you?" I laughed and held my hand out to each of them, shaking their hands until I eventually got yanked in for a slap on the back here and there.

"Well done, Seneca." President said approvingly, nodding his head and smiling without losing his stoic posture.

"Thank you, Sir." I shook his hand as well, exchanging the smile since that rarely was an option.

I waited a few seconds before I left the group and continued to my seat which was a few steps behind me, relatively close to President Snow's position.

I spun around, replaying the end of the games in my mind again as I stepped towards my chair.

Before I sat down, I glanced up at the thousands and thousands of people that had occupied the square in a matter of minutes, and as my eyes scanned, my sight was interrupted by the last thing I'd expected to see there.

The second I saw her, my temperature rose and my eyes seemed to double in size. My heart pounded in my chest and the only thing I could think of was how I felt the last time I was near her. I wanted to feel it again.

I stepped closer and closer, never taking my eyes off of her. She didn't notice me until I was directly beside her and even then, I was able to study her enthralled expression. She stared at the crowds below in awe, like she had never stepped foot out of her garden. This was my expression of hers. I wanted her to always be in awe of everything I did for her. That's how she must have looked when she got my flowers every day that I couldn't see her.

"Stasia." I barely more than whispered her name, secretively tangling my fingers with hers so that nobody's attention would be directed at us.

Anastasia's stare shot over to me and she looked just as surprised as I was. The pink rushed in to her cheeks and her eyes fluttered nervously.

"Seneca." Her voice was hypnotized. "How do you do?"

I ignored her question and reached across with my free hand to stroke her lips with my thumb.

"Can I please?" I begged her quietly. Her eyes begged back but she shook her head resentfully.

"Seneca. Be careful." She warned looking back at her father who was otherwise engaged.

"It's not like I haven't gotten Daddy's approval before." I said winking at her and licking my lips lustfully.

"You're too cocky. You can't win me over like you did the Hunger Games. It's not that simple." I couldn't decide if she was warning me or provoking that I should go for it, either way she sounded hopeless.

"Speaking of Hunger Games." I shifted the mood and kept her hand tangled in mine. "You watched it of course didn't you?"

She rolled her eyes and settled them back on the wild crowds.

"Of course. It's a ritual. It doesn't mean I enjoyed it."

I chuckled and stepped in closer to her, demanding her attention again but she didn't give it back to me.

"I feel like you did this year though, why else would you be here?"

"_He_ forced me to."

I glanced over my shoulder at Snow who was staring in my general direction. Without giving her any acknowledgment, I moved our hands in front of her leg slowly, to keep from catching his eye.

"Did you get my flowers…Hun?"

She finally turned back to me, nearly burning a hole in me with her eyes. I wanted so badly to pull her into me so I could go back to kissing her again. I hadn't received nearly enough of it yet to be slowing down now.

"I did."

"Well?"

"Seneca…." She paused and then squeezed my hand, staring at my eyes intently to deliver her mood. "There's a reason nobody else besides my father showers me with gifts you know?"

I touched the side of her face with my other hand softy, stepping in closer again.

"Humor me."

She shook her head spitefully. "You walk on thin ice. I hope you consider that from now on."

I nodded obediently and licked me lips, coming closer and closer, pulling her in as I went.

"I really do. I have been thinking about it all the time. But I promise, the thought of pleasing you will always provoke me more than the fear of crossing my boundaries."

Our lips were just centimeters apart, but too far away to touch.

"Are there really secrets that need to be shared so closely, Seneca?"

I jumped out of my skin when Snow's comment interrupted the much anticipated, intimate moment. We'd separated like oil and water, ruining every hope I had for holding her again.

"I am dying to hear what the fuss is all about. Do tell."

I chuckled and cleared my throat in hesitation.

"You know, it's not as interesting as I thought it might be. Sorry for the confusion."

He watched me step away from Anastasia and even watched the looks our eyes exchanged. I didn't care. I still let my eyes lock with hers and let my hand brush hers sentimentally when I turned around.

"That's too bad." Snow mumbled, replacing my spot next to her. I returned to my place behind them where I was forced to stare at her low cut dress that exposed her perfectly sculpted back the entire rest of the night.


	9. Chapter 8

Greetings! And happy Independence weekend! I apologize for the extended absence of updates. Between summer class finals and the holiday week I have gotten about five minutes each day to work on something new. I tried so hard to not make this a naughty chapter. I guess I didn't try hard enough. Please enjoy! Thanks for the review! Au revoir!

* * *

I dreamed that you bewitched me into bed

And sung me moon-struck, kissed me quite insane.

I think I made you up inside my head. –Sylvia Platt

* * *

Anastasia pulled me along the path without looking back to see if I even wanted to follow. It didn't matter anyway; I rushed behind her closely since her pace was at a jog.

Her locks of shiny hair blew around in the refreshing breeze that swept over us.

"We need to hurry or we're going to miss it!" She giggled and pulled my hand harder.

The wisteria tunnel was pitch black because of the disappearing sun, but the illuminated pink and lavender sky was visible at the end and guided us through.

"You're so slow!" She groaned while we continued to the large pond at the back of the property.

Finally she plopped onto the ground abruptly, wiping the wild strands of hair out of her face.

I took my place next to her, as close to her as I could possibly be without touching her quite yet.

"Just look at it, Seneca. Isn't it beautiful? So breathtaking."

I took in the sunset for a moment, admiring the glowing oranges and blues and violets and pinks. They seemed to change more by the second as the sun trickled down the horizon like a bead of paint. I sighed at the sight, then looked back at Anastasia without her realizing it. She was more breathtaking to me than the image in front of us.

I slid my arm behind her silently and looked back, pretending to not be thinking about her.

I had only just begun to realize how pathetic my obsession with her was becoming. I'd never given so much energy just to entertain the thought of pursuing a girl, let alone be in the presence of one. I found myself thinking about her now when I shouldn't be, in ways that I shouldn't be. My mind went from just imagining seeing her, straight to imagining her in my arms, moaning my name and begging me like I wished she had a reason to do. Then sometimes I'd just daydream about her laugh. I kept on hating myself for being that pathetic.

"You've never been so silent." She whispered.

"I'm not used to being with you like this…On our own terms. It feels…." I became silent with a loss of words.

"It feels like I've forgotten what there is to talk about." She finished for me perfectly.

I nodded and turned my gaze to her again, but this time it was mutual.

"Maybe one of us should leave so that our thoughts return."

"Good theory." She blushed and picked blades of grass nervously. "You know…I can't find flowers like the ones you sent me anywhere else."

"That's how it's supposed to be." I winked and grabbed her hand to pull it into my lap. "They're from the arena this year."

She watched our hands intently as I placed hers on my hip. "So that explains it. My dad nearly passed out when he saw one of the bouquets."

"You would too if you realized."

"I get it Seneca they're special."

"Not just special, Stasia. They're engineered. They were hand crafted gene by gene. Perfect combinations of just what I wanted."

"Just what _you_ wanted ha?" She smirked and lifted her eyebrows in doubt. "Tell me what you've named these special flowers then, all mighty gardener."

We both giggled and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'd have to see them I can't remember."

"Ok then we'll go look at them to refresh your memory."

I stopped her from getting up by wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back down, much closer to me to my advantage.

"I really just want to stay out here, Hun. Look the stars are coming out! They're everywhere."

Her eyes followed my hand as it waved across the sky and then settled back to me.

"They are, aren't they? Even the pond is full of stars."

I watched her as she giggled and looked down at me to see what I thought about her comment.

"It is." I muttered absently. I couldn't think about stars at that point. Nor could I think about flowers. Or the Hunger Games. Or anything for that matter. It seemed the only thing I could think about once again was the way her eyes lit up when she looked at me. And how big her smile was when I made her laugh.

I shook myself out of the daze and took a deep breath as she put her hand back in mine on her own.

"I don't feel like this is real." She whispered to the empty air in front of her.

A few seconds of silence went by until she continued. "I don't mean to sound ridiculous but, doesn't it seem…" She stopped midsentence and sighed heavily, shaking her head at the grass.

"Doesn't it seem what Stasia?"

"Nevermind." Her blushing cheeks showed her embarrassment.

"You're not going to sound ridiculous just say it." I said laughing at her shyness.

Anastasia looked up at me briefly, just long enough to tease me with her eyes.

"I just feel like it's too good to be true." She finally spoke up in a raspy tone, shivering as the breeze picked up.

My throat tightened and I fell into complete silence as I pondered what I should say in response. Quite honestly, my first reaction was to snicker and hide my smile under my sleeve. Maybe I should have gone with that to avoid the delay. Instead I sat there. Completely mute. While she became more and more ashamed of saying what I begged her to say out loud.

"Nevermind it." She muttered uncomfortably and scooted away.

"No! I didn't mean to…I was just- I was thinking about what you said."

"Sure you were. You were thinking about how creepy I sounded of course."

I leaned towards her, rubbing my hands against her arms that were covered in goosebumps.

"Not at all." I bit my lip and somehow began to dig up a load of bullshit that was buried underneath all of the first response emotions I was feeling. "I- It just reminded me of what I thought the first time I met you, that's all."

She shook her head unbelievably and shrugged me away.

"You're lying."

"Not at all!" I defended myself. "You were the last thing I expected to see here. I didn't have an interview with an angel, you know, I had an interview with President Snow. You kind of caught me off guard."

When I could tell she still wasn't as amused as I wanted her to be I leaned in and set my head on her shoulder, whispering into her ear softly.

"I thought I was dreaming when I saw you standing there in the roses. You were humming the sweetest song. And the way the sun glowed behind you." I paused to make sure she was listening this time. "I couldn't think about anything else that day. All I thought about was your voice and the softness of your hands." I laced our fingers together again and kissed the base of her neck. "And how badly I wanted to know what it felt like to kiss your lips. And how stunning my name sounded coming from them. And I thought, that'll just never happen she's too good to be true."

She shuttered when I stopped again and I didn't know whether it was from my voice or the cold but I smiled anyways, took off my jacket and gave it to her. I didn't know why I hadn't kissed her yet, since the last time we were alone like this. I had more than enough opportunities but for some reason both of us kept our composure.

"You're ridiculous." She giggled and buried her face in her hands.

We both smiled for a few minutes without a word while she continued to play with the veins on my hand and fold my fingers with hers.

"But you didn't really think that….Did you?"

I smirked and glanced down at our hands momentarily.

"I'm here, aren't I?"

Her posture changed after I said that, as if she'd been awakened by something.

"I guess you are." She whispered, her body shaking in shivers again.

"You know we could go inside." I suggested.

"Yeah I think that's a good idea." She popped up on her feet and started to walk back towards the path without me.

I followed shortly after getting up off of the grass and scanning behind us. I never knew when someone else would show up. Especially since there were around 200 people inside, enjoying the celebration of the new victor. Anastasia didn't lead us back towards the patio, though. She walked in the opposite direction of which we'd come, towards the staircase on the other side of the pond.

"The party's that way Sweetheart."

"So go that way then." She snapped back once I caught up to her.

When I got to her side I put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her into me. We walked in silence all the way until we were inside. It felt like we both had a secret we didn't want to tell anyone. Like little kids who had done something naughty. We were careful not to be too affectionate in public, in front of the trees and birds and whoever else was watching at the moment. And it was the sweetest thing to be secretive with her.

Anastasia led me to a room that was entirely dark until she flicked the light on. I stood in awe once I could see everything. The manila walls were decorated with hefty gold mirrors and works of art, probably Anastasia's works of art. The entire ceiling was white embossment, finished off with an extravagant chandelier. Her sleigh bed frame was upholstered with crème silk that matched her blanket and dozens of pillows.

'I thought I lived luxuriously.' I thought to myself silently.

Being here, surrounded by all these unimaginable items reminded me of who I was with. Anastasia was so soft and humble that I had forgotten who she really was. She was Capitol royalty. She was the president's daughter. She was my superior and I was so enthralled in pursuing her that I forgot that people like me weren't meant to pursue people like her. We were supposed to work for them.

I strolled over to her vanity which was occupied with perfumes and makeup and a couple of little picture frames, one of which being of a nearly identical, older and pregnant Anastasia.

"That's your mother." I declared with certainty.

She came up behind me, sniffling with her cold, red nose.

"Oh…Yeah that's her."

"Well I understand it finally."

She tilted her head and grinned. "Understand what Seneca?"

"Where you get your face." I giggled as she smacked my arm.

"My dad's not bad!"

"Of course not. He's a beauty." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, watching through the mirror as she stared at the photo with saddening eyes.

"She was from District 1. She was in the Capitol to sell her family's pearl jewelry when my father spotted her. He bought the entire collection, then gave it to her. He said the only thing he wanted from her was to never leave him lonely again."

"So she stayed with him?"

Anastasia's eyes seemed to have lightened up about the topic. As if she was imagining her parent's love story.

"Yeah…She did. Not that she had much of a choice. You know him. But I don't think she wanted to leave really. She loved it here. She never wanted to leave." Her tone became sadder towards the end of her sentence and carried more guilt and shame than anything. "I guess I kind of ended it for her."

"What are you talking about?" I said turning around to face her again. She stared at her glittery heels now, wiggling her toes for entertainment until I tipped her chin up.

She took a deep, shaky breath and shrugged hopelessly.

"I guess there's no explanation for it. Just that there were birthing complications. It's happened to women in her family before."

She wandered away from my fingertips and sat down on the vanity barstool in front of me.

"I'm sorry, Stasia. I didn't mean"-"Don't worry about it." She smiled at me through the mirror.

"It's just a little hard to believe your dad is that much of a romantic."

I succeeded in lightening up the mood as she giggled alittle.

"No he's not really anymore. He wasn't then either, I guess she brought it out of him."

"Is he the one who told you the story?"

Anastasia shook her head and opened up a top drawer in the vanity.

"She had a diary."

"You don't feel invasive by reading the dirty stuff in it?"

She smacked me with the book and groaned.

"Such a man!" Once I stopped smiling she continued. "It's not weird. It feel like I'm reading about two people I don't even know, until I run into a part that reminds me of myself. Then it's weird. Because some of the things that she's written are almost identical to the things I've written."

"You mean the things she wrote about your dad?" My throat tightened as she nodded her head to my comment. "When she was falling in love with him?"

She blushed and stopped nodding when she realized that I was catching on to what she was speaking about relating to her mother about.

"Except…" I took a minute to catch my breath through biting my lips. "Except you're not falling in love with your dad are you?"

We both giggled awkwardly, avoiding eye contact because just being this close to each other was so alluring already with the new, captivating tension that had come with the topic.

She spun around on the stool and let her eyes set directly on her twiddling hands when she was facing me.

"No not my dad." She whispered, glancing up for a few seconds.

The last thing I saw before I leaned in and kissed her was the brightening color of her cheeks and her fluttering eyelashes. Our lips radiated heat when they got together, raising my entire body temperature. I could already feel her breathing turning into tiny, subtle moans before the kiss had even escalated and my actions were no longer in my control when I felt her hands cling to the sides of my face to pull me in harder. My arms scooped around her hourglass waist to bring her up off of the ground and against my body, making my heart pound for more contact. For the first time, she was taking the full initiative and guided my mouth with hers every second, so that I could focus on other things for myself. Like moving my desperate hands up the sides of her body and feeling every square inch of her. It tortured me to know the only thing that kept me from her was a single layer of clothing. I took a step back towards the bed with every few motions of our lips, wondering if she'd notice and wondering if she'd follow but before I knew I felt like she was pushing me there. When we got within reach, I grabbed her hands that were still stuck to me and turned her back towards the vacant, inviting bed.

"Stasia, lay down, Sweetheart."

Anastasia broke away from me after I muttered this to her and did just what I said, her eyes burning into mine the entire time. She pulled me back in and continued to kiss me passionately while I tore open my vest and worked on her dress. I was too caught up during the next few minutes in feeling her soft, silky and exposed skin to realize her working on the buttons of my shirt. Her nails dug into my back without warning, begging me to grind into her which I did willingly. I moved my mouth from her lips to her neck then so that I could focus more on dealing with my zipper. It wasn't until I had my slacks completely off that she grabbed my hands and told me, "Wait…Do you think this is too fast?"

"What do you mean? Do you want me to slow down?" I tried to rush my words to get the talking over with.

"No…" She closed her eyes and wiped her hair off of her sweaty forehead. "No I mean do you think this is a little soon?"

I squeezed my eyes shut and tipped my head back in agony.

"Anastasia….You are asking me now? You're going to ask me to stop aren't you? Please just do it. Just say it."

She flung her arms around my neck and shook her head frantically.

"No no no! I promise. I mean. I just… Seneca. I'm scared."

I finally peeled my eyes back open and looked back down at her excited eyes.

"What do you mean you're scared? Why are you scared?"

I tried to ignore my pulse that kept thumping harder and harder as our bodies touched.

"I just haven't done this before." She whispered, burying her face in my neck. "And I know it's going to hurt."

It took me a few dazed and confused seconds to wrap my head around the fact that I was the first guy she'd been this close to. I was the first who had seen her and her drop-dead gorgeous body like this before. And best yet, I would be the first to claim her. That thought motivated me enough to get me to talk her through it.

"Stasia, look at me. I'll be gentle with you." I grabbed her face and kissed her forehead firmly. "I'll be so gentle with you."

She was silent for a few horrendous moments and I ached, but I waited patiently.

"Promise?"

"I promise, Sweetheart."

She let me continue laying kisses allover her shoulders and neck, massaging the insides of her thighs and pressing myself against her. As soon as her tense moaning continued I let one of my hands caress its way up to the lining of her panties ever-so-softly, probably teasing myself more than I was teasing her. Without any more hesitance, I slid my fingers underneath the lace material to feel her and how drenched she'd become. I wanted so badly to slam into her at that point but I forced myself to take it nice and slow, even with dropping my boxers to the floor. She watched me anxiously as I did so and squeezed her eyes closed when I touched her again.

"Seneca, it hurts." She mumbled under her breath when I first pressed into her.

"I'm sorry, it'll stop I promise."

It was almost difficult to slide into her, one, because if I did then I knew I'd lose control and could forget about being gentle with her and two, because she was so…much…smaller than what I was working with.

"I think it'll go by faster if you just do it."

"Ok." I whispered more to myself than anyone while I thrust into her deeper and harder.

She was groaning in pain but by the time I'd finished my tenth stroke she'd started to get a perfect arch in her back and began to clutch handfuls of the blanket underneath her.

"Is that better, Baby?"

"Yes, please don't stop!" She demanded through a bitten lip.

I did as she told me and kept rocking her, harder and harder until suddenly and disastrously, without a single warning to prepare us, Anastasia's bedroom door burst wide open.


	10. Chapter 9

This is so terribly short and I apologize! More to come. Promise.

Anastasia and I both became statues as soon as we saw the giggling couple in the door way. Neither of them had turned their heads around to see us but as soon as they did, their jaws nearly dropped to the floor.

"Olivia! What are you doing in here?! Get out!" Anastasia had leaned forward and grabbed onto my arms to cover herself and screamed at the girl

"Well what are _you _doing in here, cousin?" Olivia giggled and covered her smile up with her hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr Crane."

I smirked without responding to her and Anastasia smacked my arm for it.

"Olivia get out!"

She finally did so, laughing every bit of the way and leaving us alone again.

"Oh my god." Anastasia whispered and shoved me away.

"What are you doing?" I panicked as she grabbed her underwear to put back on.

"I'm going back to the party! She's going to tell!"

"No! You told me last night you weren't going to leave me again!" I grabbed whatever material was hanging from her hands and yanked it away. "Please don't leave me like this! Look at me, Stasia."

She grabbed my face and kissed me softly over and over again, trying to convince me to let her go but nothing could replace whatever we had going on the few minutes before we were interrupted.

"Please. Stay." I muttered between kisses, pulling her hips back into me. She ripped away instantly and shook her head while stepping into her dress.

"I have to go threaten Olivia. She'll tell my dad."

"Stasia. You know he'll find out whether you bribe her or not."

She looked up at me in the middle of pulling her zipper up and bit her lip.

"Oh…Oh, I'm afraid you're right Seneca." Her eyes dimmed momentarily and she stared at the floor, thinking of whatever plan there was to think of. "I should try anyways, though." She decided.

I imagined what Snow's face would be like when he was told about this. His expression might not change, but I knew that his blood would boil underneath his skin and he could do whatever he wanted to about it. For some daft reason I wasn't threatened by that at all. I couldn't worry for a single second about what the consequences for these actions would be because the more I gave to Anastasia; the more I would be rewarded by her.

"I don't care." I declared, grabbing her wrist possessively.

"What?" She looked at me though narrowed eyes.

"I- I don't really care if he finds out. I mean, it's well worth it to me."

She chuckled without smiling and shook her head at me hopelessly.

"You don't know how ridiculous you sound."

I pulled her in again and caressed her face gently.

"You don't know how ridiculous I feel. Especially if you leave me again."

She pushed me away playfully and giggled, walking straight to the vanity to reapply her red lipstick.

I groaned and grabbed her from behind, wrapping her deeply in my arms.

"Well I expect to be seeing you again shortly then. In fact I think it's best I just tell you when we'll meet."

Anastasia rolled her eyes at me and threw the tube of lipstick aside.

"You're going to tell me?"

I nodded as she turned around to stare up at me.

"Yes. Tomorrow. You're going to meet me in town. On the corner of Main Street and Cedar."

"That's the bus stop, Seneca. I'm not going to meet you at a bus stop. Everyone will see us."

"You're so ashamed of me. Besides, it won't look suspicious. It's not like we're getting on one."

"I'm not ashamed. It's more like protecting you. Because you're too damn arrogant to protect yourself."

She ripped away from me and walked to the door, stopping just before she opened it to turn back and look at me one last painful time.

"Just like I'm doing right now." Anastasia finished. She opened the large door and stepped through, stealing all the joy and lightness out of the room.


	11. Soon to be updated!

Happy end of summer! Updating as I speak Hold tight.


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